Page 2
Illinois Valley News, Cave Junction, OR Wednesday, July 2, 2003
We talk and write funny.
And I don’t mean the use of “goes” instead of
“says” although I wish that would go away. What I’m
referring to are the sometimes silly, redundant and
often incorrect usages of the language we call Eng-
lish:
Use of criteria in the singular. Actually, criteria
are plural.
Use of media in the singular. Actually, media are
plural too. (And cornbread are square).
Saying or writing that someone needs
“orientating.” (The word is “orienting.” Or depending
on the intent: orient or orientation.)
Pronouncing nuclear (new-clear) as nuke-lear.
(Nuke-lear is a plot to bomb a play by Shakespeare).
Descriptions such as “long hours.” Are there
hours longer than 60 minutes? (I understand that the
meaning is to convey many hours or numerous, bor-
ing hours, but why not say that instead of “long”?)
And what about descriptions including:
*“She threw her hands in the air.” (I didn’t know
that hands were removable.)
*“The team exploded on the field.” (BATF should
have been called, and it must have been a mess to
clean up.)
*“It was a physical game.” (Duh.)
*“He had his car stolen.” (You mean that his car
was stolen because of bad luck, or did he actually
have it arranged? Same for people having their homes
broken into, or having their legs broken.)
*“It was only just a little tiny bit.” (Redundancy is
thy name!)
*“The accident occurred north of town.” (How far
north? Alaska maybe?)
*“An autopsy will be conducted to determine the
cause of death.” (Why else?)
*“It was a heavy rain.” (How heavy was it? More
than a pound? Or do we really mean to say that there
was lots of rain?)
*“The robber was dark complected.” (No such
word! “The robber had a dark complexion” is cor-
rect.)
*“She was killed in the accident.” (Unless some-
one murdered her during the accident, she actually
died in the accident.)
*“A large crowd was expected.” (Maybe not.
Probably a large crowd was anticipated. And there is
a definite difference between expectation and antici-
pation.)
OK, I’ll stop already. Just watch your language.
And remember effect vs. impact, etc.
P.S. Have you noticed that members of the media
are the only ones who use the word “embattled”?
Most everyone else has no use for the word. You’ll
never hear someone asking a friend how his wife is
doing, and hear the friend say, “Oh, she’s embattled.”
Illinois Valley News
An Independent Weekly Newspaper Co-owned and
published by Robert R. (Bob) and Jan Rodriguez
Bob Rodriguez, Editor El Jefe
Entered as second class matter June 11, 1937 at Post
Office as Official Newspaper for Josephine County and
Josephine County Three Rivers School District, published
at 321 S. Redwood Hwy., Cave Junction, OR 97523
Periodicals postage paid at Cave Junction, OR 97523
Post Office Box 1370 USPS 258-820
Telephone (541) 592-2541, FAX (541) 592-4330
(Editor’s Note: Views
and commentary ex-
pressed in letters to
the editor are strictly
those of the letter-
writers.
* * *
Typed, double-spaced
letters are acceptable
for
consideration.
Hand-written
letters
that are double-spaced
and highly legible also
can be considered for
publication. Cards of
thanks are not ac-
cepted as letters.)
* * *
‘Right to travel’
From Don Schwarz
Stoughton, Mass.
It was lawful to travel
upon the public rights-of-
way during the time of the
Pilgrims.
It was lawful to travel
upon the public rights-of-
way during the time of the
Revolutionary War.
It was lawful to travel
upon the public rights-of-
way during the time of the
Civil War.
It was lawful to travel
upon the public rights-of-
way during the time of the
Spanish American War.
Cave Junction resident
Raymond
Ronald
Karczewski was denied his
constitutional right to
travel upon the public
rights-of-way, even though
he paid the very excise tax
used specifically to fund
the very road he was on.
Am I to believe, that if
you pay a “use tax” such
as are excise taxes used to
fund road construction and
maintenance, that you can
be denied the use of that
which you paid the tax
upon, based upon some
arbitrary and unproven
“license” statute which
negates the very tax which
has been collected to se-
cure the right of travel?
Pay the use “excise
tax,” be denied that which
the tax you paid was col-
lected so you could use it.
“Oh we're sorry Mr.
Karczewski, even though
you paid the ‘use tax’ on
the very public right-of-
way you are using as in-
tended by the ‘excise tax’
which you paid on gaso-
line, oil and tires, you will
be denied this right, unless
you have purchased a com-
mercial license to use that
which you have a right to
use under the Constitution
and by the fact you paid
the ‘use tax’ on same.
“You see, all users of
the public rights-of-way
wi l l b e c o ns i d e re d
‘commercial users’ subject
to licensing laws. Have a
nice day.”
When did it become
u n con st itu tio n al an d
unlawful, to travel upon
the public rights-of-way
for all constitutional pur-
poses under the First
Amendment right of as-
sembly or by the right that
all public rights-of-way
exist at taxpayer expense
for their use?
Show me the constitu-
tional amendment which
has now denied to the
American people this right.
I'm not speaking of licens-
ing and registering com-
mercial uses of the public
rights-of-way for commer-
cial gain, but only of an
American's right to travel
freely upon the public
rights-of-way for all con-
stitutional purposes.
When did the right of
freedom of travel become
a licensed privilege by a
constitutional amendment?
‘Final
tion’
confronta-
From Tony Corriea
Merlin
The final confrontation
between the employees’
union and the Josephine
County Board of Commis-
sioners will soon come to a
head. It appears that our
area government’s logo
“Proud to be the Best,” is
simply a symbol of a “wolf
in sheep’s clothing” and it
will soon be exposed.
It appears the commis-
sioners for years have been
using cryptic ways of do-
ing their budget to deceive
the people, the taxpayers in
Josephine County. But the
recent disclosure of the
high wages paid to the de-
partment heads and the
$94,118.76 paid to each of
the three commissioners
should bring it all to a halt.
The new proposed
charter will eliminate the
constant turmoil and ineffi-
ciencies in the spending of
our tax dollars. An admin-
istrator will provide con-
sistency and financial sta-
bility.
It seems we have no
confirmation of what our
board is doing, or where
they are during working
hours.
We have one commis-
sioner who doesn’t show
up for work. He is listed in
the week’s agenda as hav-
ing an appointment from 8
a.m. to 5 p.m.; that is an
improper and wrongful act.
One of the other com-
missioners is listed as be-
ing in Salem most of the
time.
When there is only one
commissioner present in
the office, there is no quo-
rum, so there is no busi-
ness. Something must be
done to end the standoff.
(Continued on page 3)
Monday, June 23
*7:06 a.m., 500 block
Waldamar, medical assist.
*10:46 a.m., 100 block
Airport Drive, med assist.
*10:46 a.m., 681
Caves Hwy. med standby.
*12:08 p.m., 500 block
W. River, medical assist.
*12:12 p.m., 681
Caves Hwy.,. medical
standby.
*9:59 p.m., 4200 block
Lakeshore Drive, med as-
sist.
Tuesday, June 24
*8:25 a.m., 24500
block Redwood Hwy.,
med assist.
*11:30 a.m., 10400
block Takilma Road, med
assist.
*5:42 p.m., 4600 block
Takilma Road, grass fire.
*9:03 p.m., 100 block
Norman Road, med assist.
Wednesday, June 25
*10 p.m., 681 Caves
Hwy. med standby
Thursday, June 26
*7:12 a.m., 400 block
Old Stage Road, illegal
open burn
*8:54 a.m., Jubilee
Park, med assist.
*1:50 p.m., 37600
block Redwood Hwy.,
grass fire.
*2:53 p.m., 500 block
Arrowhead Drive, med
assist.
4:36 p.m., 100 block
Twilight Lane, structure
fire.
Friday, June 27
*8:25 a.m., 100 block
Norman Road, power line
problems.
*9:33 a.m., 600 block
Crooks Creek, med assist.
Saturday, June 28
*9:02 p.m., Draper
Valley/Conrad Drive, med
assist.
Sunday, June 29
*6:31 a.m., 200 block
Hayes Cut Off, med assist.
*2:42 p.m., 200 block
Idlewild Drive, med assist.
*3:24 p.m., 100 block
Kerby Mainline, med as-
sist.
*3:42 p.m., 1000 block
Daisy Hill Road, grass fire.
*3:54 p.m., 1100 block
Waldo Road, grass fire.
*7:29 p.m., 33096
Redwood Hwy., smoke
investigation.
*8:05 p.m., 30365
Redwood Hwy., motor
vehicle accident.
*9:09 p.m., 222 Ollis
Road, No. 26, med assist.
9:15 p.m., 222 Ollis
Road No. 76, public assist.
There’s worse ways to get old than
rummaging around in your memories.
- John Hassler -
Volume 66, No. 15
Staff: Cindy Newton, Britt Fairchild,
Chris Robertson, Steve Fairchild & Becky Loudon
Member: Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association
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P.O. Box 1370, Cave Junction, OR. 97523
592-3562
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Meals are served in the
CJ County Bldg.
FRIDAY, JULY 4
*Closed for 4th of July
MONDAY, JULY 7
*Roast turkey with
gravy, whipped sweet
potatoes, peas and
onions, potato wheat
bread, apricot bar
WEDNESDAY, JULY 9
*Meat loaf with Creole
sauce, creamed
potatoes, steamed
spinach, squash bread,
crispy rice bar
Large Ultimate Meat
(Italian Salami, Canadian Bacon, Pepperoni,
Linguicia, Italian Sausage & Ground Beef)
or
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(Mushrooms, Olives, Onions, Bell Peppers, Garlic,
Pineapple & Tomatoes * Artichoke Hearts - add $1)
COOKED - ONLY $13.95
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$1 more!